1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a distribution structure of a wire harness to be distributed in an automotive vehicle and, more specifically, to achieve protection of the wire harness easily and reliably when there is an external interfering material in a route of distribution of the wire harness.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wire harness of an automotive vehicle is connected to electrical components mounted thereon and is distributed in the vehicle. However, an external interfering material, such as a squeezed-out projection of a vehicle body panel formed of metal, or spatter generated from a weld, may exist along the route of the wire harness. External interfering material formed of metal may contact a wire group of the wire harness and break an insulation covering of wire to contact a core wire and create a risk of a short circuit.
JP-A-9-219915 and FIG. 5 herein disclose a harness distribution structure on a vehicle body panel to avoid contact between an edge 100e of an operation hole 100H on a door panel 100 and a door harness 110. A clip 120 locks the door harness 110 to the door panel 100 and an embossment 130 between the clip 120 and the periphery of the operation hole 100H moves the door harness 110 away from the periphery of the operation hole 100H, so that a non-contact state is maintained.
JP-A-9-219915 requires work on the vehicle body panel to form the embossment. On the other hand, a protective measure often is taken on the side of the wire harness. For example, a wire harness may be covered with a protector or a corrugated resin tube, or may be half-lapped with an insulating resin tape to prevent interference with the external interfering material at a position passing the external interfering material for reliably eliminating the possibility of a short circuit.
However, a position where a branch line is branched from a trunk line of the wire harness cannot be protected by a continuous corrugated tube and hence the wire group is exposed at a branch of the wire harness. Therefore, when the external interfering material is located near a branch of the wire harness, protection is achieved by methods shown in FIGS. 6(A), 6(B) and 6(C). FIG. 6(A) shows a branch 100P of the wire harness wrapped by a vinyl sheet or a tube 150 formed of a thick flexible material. An adhesive tape 200 then is wound around the outer periphery of the sheet or tube 150 and is fixed to the wire harness. FIG. 6(B) shows the branch 100P inserted through a box-shaped rigid protector 160 that is molded from resin and the protector 160 is fixed to the wire harness with an adhesive tape. FIG. 6(C) shows the branch 100P protected by winding a thick adhesive vinyl tape 180 in a crossed manner into an X-shape by a number of turns.
The methods of FIGS. 6(A), 6(B) and 6(C) enable the branch of the wire harness to be protected by an outer sheath. However, the adhesive tape 200 must be wound in a manner shown in FIG. 6(A). In particular, when the thick adhesive vinyl tape 180 is wound in the crossed manner into an X-shape as shown in FIG. 6(C), the branch swathed in the thick adhesive vinyl tape 180 has a disfigured appearance. Hence, the methods described above cause trouble in work and impair the productivity of the wire harness. In addition, the finished branch portion is distorted, which impairs easy assembly of the wire harness. In addition, the appearance is not attractive.
In view of the problems described above, it is an object of the invention to achieve easy protection of the wire group from external interfering material near a branch where the wire group is exposed and cannot be covered by a corrugated tube or the like.